Interactive: North Carolina Symphony Blog

Resident Conductor William Henry Curry spoke on Sunday, February 10, at Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh about the Symphony’s upcoming Explorations : Freedom concerts and programs that take place next week in Fayetteville and Raleigh. We asked Samantha Flynn, head of the Music Department at Quail Ridge to share her thoughts about Maestro Curry’s talk, which was co-sponsored by WCPE, the Classical Station.

You could have heard a pin drop. The old saying really rang true Sunday afternoon when North Carolina Symphony Resident Conductor William Henry Curry addressed a rapt audience at Quail Ridge Books & Music. We were honored that the Symphony began its Explorations: Freedom events here with Maestro Curry's talk about the upcoming concerts and the ongoing impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on our society.

With excerpts from recordings, he illustrated the artistic freedom revealed in the works of John Adams and Charles Ives, two of the composers who will be featured in the concerts. He then shared some little known facts which provided a greater understanding of the historical context of Lincoln's resolve to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

In a moving and deeply personal message, Maestro Curry shared with us the impact of the Proclamation on his own family and shared his views on where we would be, as a nation, had Lincoln failed to act.

A thoughtful exchange of ideas between the audience and Maestro Curry revealed just how deeply everyone was affected by the discussion. Having shared this has made us more eager than ever to experience the multimedia concerts next week. Thank you, William Henry Curry!